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presence (9)

Going Deeper in Intimacy with God

Posted by Debbie Przybylski on March 10, 2017 at 18:02


“Might we not set ourselves to learn silence, stillness, and solitude? It will not be easy to come by. It must be arranged. The Lord Jesus, available to people much of the time, left them, sometimes a great while before day, to go up to the hills. He could commune in solitude with His Father. Job, enduring his friends’ tiresome lectures and accusations, was very much alone in the ash heap, but it was there that he came to know God as never before. When Paul received God’s call to preach the gospel he did not consult anyone. He went into Arabia. The old apostle John, when exiled to Patmos, must sure have known a holy aloneness through which he received the book of Revelation.” Elisabeth Eliot

I like to write motivational books on prayer. One of my books is called Deeper Still: Secrets to a Deeper Prayer Life. As I wrestled with what to call this book and after finally deciding on a title, God gave me several confirmations that this was His choice. Within a very short time I saw the words “deep,” “deeper,” and “deeper still” everywhere—a street name, a magazine title, a song on a CD, an article title, and several other places.

God was showing me that depth is very important to Him as we learn the lessons of prayer. The great biblical characters like Job, Paul, John, and even Jesus had to learn this lesson. God wants to take each one of us deeper still—deeper than we have ever been before. And this requires an invitation to times of aloneness.

Going deeper in prayer is not always easy or fun.

Actually it can be quite difficult, especially when we don’t know what God is doing. We have to give extravagant time to God. When I wrote Deeper Still, God was wooing me into a deeper prayer life. I thought to myself:

“Haven’t I gone deep enough? Do You still want me to go deeper?”

That is exactly what He wanted. The difficulties of the end-times require it. You may wonder, “Lord, isn’t it about time that I take action? I’ve been waiting a long time.” But you may not realize the strength that is needed at the foundation of your life in order to stay consistently stable in hard times. Your foundation has to be strong so that no attack from the enemy can penetrate your firm trust in the Lord.

The word “deep” in Webster’s Dictionary means “extending far below the surface, descending far downward, profound, opposed to shallow, piercing a great way, not superficial or obvious, hidden, secret, heartfelt, intricate.” God wants to take us far below the surface in our relationship with Himself. This relationship must not be superficial—as so many are—but heartfelt, hidden, and of great depth.

The quality of our aloneness with God can actually enhance the quality of our time with others. Cultivate that deep, alone time with God and make it a holy aloneness. Make your relationship with God of prime importance because this is what life is all about. Someone once told my husband and I, “God is taking you deeper and working intricately with your life, so that you can work intricately with the lives of others.” I’ve often thought about how true that statement has been to us.

We used to live in Virginia Beach so we learned a lot about hurricanes. A few years ago we had a hurricane called Ernesto that swept through the area. I’ve written about this hurricane before because of its’ profound message. Ernesto was not a very forceful hurricane, yet many trees fell because of the strength of the winds. Many people lost one or more trees during that hurricane. It left Virginia Beach in a huge mess with trees and branches lying everywhere.

The stability of the trees depended on how deep the roots went below the surface. Shallow roots could not stand the force of even a small hurricane. In Virginia Beach in mild weather you could never tell how deep a tree’s roots extended, but in a hurricane the truth was exposed. Shallow roots meant a big downfall. The roots just could not sustain the tree.

Likewise, right now God is developing your prayer life and the depth of your personal relationship with Him. He is inviting you deeper for a purpose. He has great plans to use you in the coming days. You must not bypass this most important season in your life.

During the last several years, I have concentrated a large majority of time in writing books on prayer. This has called for a lot of root work. It has called for alone time with God and heavy concentration. I am an active person and like to be out in the nations, but God is inviting me to go deeper. I have learned to say “yes” to this call. I know it is perhaps the most crucial time in my relationship with God. I have learned that the value of this time of going deeper with God is worth gold. I need to be exceedingly grateful for it even though it takes effort and a prioritizing of everything I do.

God is inviting you to enter into deeper intimacy. As you accept this invitation, I recommend that you do the following:

  • Thank Him for what He is doing in you - Live a life of praise and thanksgiving. Choosing to go deeper with God will pay off in the end. Thanksgiving brings joy and contentment.
  • Refuse to listen to the devil - Just as those shallow trees fell in the hurricane, God does not want you to be shallow so that you fall in the end times. He wants to strengthen you now. Listen to God when He is calling you deeper, and accept His invitation.
  • Be patient and don’t complain - Watch your speech and guard it carefully. Be one who speaks positive words that bring joy and faith to others.
  • Be content with where you are - Thank Him for the depth He is developing in your life through your present circumstances. Let Him work intricately with your life.
  • Cultivate holy aloneness with God on a daily basis - Plan it in your schedule. Sacrifice in order to give God your time. Make Jesus central in all that you do.

Your depth with God now is of utmost importance. He knows what is needed. He is working intricately with your life. He is deep, and He is inviting you to go deeper into His heart through prayer. He knows how strong the winds will be howling in the end-times. He is very purposeful in what He is presently developing in your life. The devil will say it is not important. He will tempt you with these thoughts:

“Eat, drink and be merry. Nothing will happen. Live just for today.”

But God is developing this holy aloneness with Himself for a purpose. Every day of “root building” is beneficial. When you are building depth, often you can’t see anything happening on the surface. It can even feel that all is dead and lifeless, but actually the opposite is true—sustainable life is being built deep down where it really counts. Realize that your root development will one day pay off. Let His song be with you even during the midnight hour.

Don't miss the Intercessors Arise prayer webinar called: How to Grow in Intimacy with God. It's filled with free prayer material to help you grow in your relationship with God  - SECURE YOUR SEAT HERE!

“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:7-8). 

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
www.intercessorsarise.org

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Whom Shall I Fear?

Posted by Debbie Przybylski on April 16, 2015 at 16:10

“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name” (Psalm 86:11).

As you look at your present life, what do you personally fear? You may be presently struggling with a fear that has gripped your heart deeply. Satan has released a spirit of fear all over the world, but the fear of the Lord counterattacks enemy fear. In light of this fact, we must learn not only about the fear of the Lord but how to walk in the fear of the Lord. Is it your deep desire to learn about the fear of the Lord?
 
Maybe you wonder, “What does it really mean to fear the Lord?
 
Some people think that fearing the Lord is like driving down the street while watching a policeman in your rearview mirror. But this is not a true picture of what the fear of the Lord is. It’s more like a teenage driver who suddenly sees her father in the rearview mirror. She quickly puts on her best behavior in driving—eyes on the road, no texting, and stopping at a yellow light. But this tells her that her father really cares enough to follow her. She’s safe. She knows that he is trying to help her develop good driving habits by obeying the laws and staying safe until she gets home. She’s driving but not completely on her own.
 
For us as God’s people, the fear of the Lord is like living with our heavenly father in the rearview mirror. When we look up we see His wonderful holiness, care, and love. Our fear of Him is mixed with reverence, trust, and love.
 
To fear the Lord is an extremely positive subject (Isaiah 11:3, Psalm 19:9, 12-14). Jesus delighted Himself in the fear of the Lord. Our hearts are designed in the same way. In the Bible there are at least 300 references to the fear of God. To truly fear the Lord is a joy and a supreme delight when we see it the way God desires. It is not to be afraid of the Lord but to be in awe of Him. But it also can be terrifying as we look at our personal sin in light of God’s consuming fire. Romans 3 is a main chapter on sin that tells us that our chief sin is to have no fear of God (v. 18).
 
The godly men of the Bible feared God. Joseph was a god-fearing man (Genesis 42:18). Moses feared God and chose god-fearing leaders (Exodus 18:21). David, Daniel, Abraham, and other Bible characters walked in the fear of the Lord. Jesus Himself said not to fear those who can kill the body, but to only fear God (Matthew 10:28).
 
To live a vibrant and holy life like the godly men of the Bible, we must walk in the fear of the Lord.
 
We all want a vibrant life. We want a life full of energy, enthusiasm, vim and vigor. We want one that is vivacious, dynamic, passionate, and exciting. This is the dictionary definition of vibrant. Unfortunately we do not often see this. When I look around the world, I see people filled with fear, unhappiness, apathy, and pain. But as Christians we want our lives to be filled with the awe and wonder of God. We want to look forward to the future, instead of living in fear and uncertainly. If we want to find true success, we must live according to God’s design. When we value what He values, our lives will be blessed.
 
There is no better time to learn about the fear of the Lord as now when human fears are at an all time high. This is the day where we must put the fear of the Lord at the front of all other ambitions. The times we are encountering require it.
 
Let’s realize that there are so many rewards of fearing the Lord. Here are just a few of the 300+ Bible verses about the fear of the Lord. Quiet your heart and take time to meditate on what the fear of the Lord gives you and what this means in your own personal life: knowledge (Proverbs 1:7), a fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27) healing and refreshment (Proverbs 3:7-8), strength to turn from evil (Proverbs 16:9), wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), provision (Psalm 34:9), confidence and refuge (Proverbs 14:26), God’s goodness (Proverbs 31:19), deliverance (Psalm 34:7), mercy (Psalm 103:11), care (Psalm 33:18-19), contentment (Proverbs 15:16), prolonged life (Proverbs 10:27), a satisfying life (Proverbs 19:23), God’s watchful care (Psalm 33:18-19), holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1), and so much more!
 
In light of these rewards, it is so important that we make it our goal to fear the Lord. If we want to grow in holiness, our long-term success is in the context of the fear of the Lord. We must determine within ourselves to be well-pleasing to God. As Christians, our lives are being set apart unto God and set apart from sin. We live in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God.
 
God Sees, Cares, and Rewards
 
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
 
We must be aware of God’s presence. He holds us accountable for our words, thoughts, motives, and actions. We must consciously realize that He is watching, that He cares, and that He remembers what we do and rewards us.

  • God sees - We are often so concerned about what others think about us and how they judge what we do. How much more should we be concerned about God’s evaluation of our words, thoughts, actions, attitudes, and motives! He sees us in the hidden place of our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Every hour of our life is meaningful because God sees us completely. As we grow in this minute-by-minute awareness, we will grow in the fear of the Lord. See Hebrews 4:12-13. 

  • God cares and remembers - He is involved in our lives and passionate about what He sees. He finds great value in our daily choices to love Him. Even when we give a glass of water in His name, He takes notice. He cherishes every movement of our heart towards Him. If we repent of the bad things we do, God will forget our sin. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13). See Malachi 3:16-17, Proverbs 16:2, and Psalms 56:8.

  • God rewards - When we stand before Him, He will openly reward us (Matthew 6:6, Psalm 45:7, 86:11, 98:10, Proverbs 1:29,31, Romans 12:9). 

    “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous… By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:9-11). 

The fear of the Lord is a holy fear where we learn to stand in awe and respect the good, greatness, and glorious nature of God. It should be our desire to be near the Lord and to love what He loves and hate what He hates. Through fearing the Lord we can become all that He desires and accomplish that which is beyond our own ability in the natural. God wants our fear of Him to be above every other fear in life.
 
You may feel that your actions are often mundane, insignificant, and makes very little difference in life. But take notice of this: God sees and cherishes every single thing you do for His glory. Your daily choices to love Him bring great joy to His heart. Realize that God holds the world in His hands and that nothing formed against you shall stand. He is your Strength and Shield. He goes before you and reigns forever. Your God is faithful and always by your side. He is the one you must fear and no other. In my next article we will learn about how to walk in the fear of the Lord.
 
Let’s ask God to give us a minute-by-minute awareness of His presence and consciously choose today to walk in the fear of the Lord.
 
“Lord, teach me the fear of the Lord. I ask for an awareness of Your presence. I thank You for being my strength and shield and for being always by my side. You are my light and my salvation and the stronghold of my life. I worship and stand in awe of You today. You are the one I shall fear. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
 
Listen to this song and worship God for His personal care over your life - Whom Shall I Fear 
 
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

Intercessors Arise News

 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org

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PTAP: Continual Prayer in the Arabian Peninsula

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on February 25, 2015 at 10:49

Prayer is the constant desire to be in God's presence. We are learning His will, seeking to follow His will and inviting Him to be part of all we are doing.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon."

Few of us have really been trained in prayer. We see the pastor pray on Sundays, people pray before meals and over their kids, but few of us have ever been trained to desire to be in constant contact with the Father, asking Him to lead, guide and protect. Pray for old and young Christians in the Arabian Peninsula, both foreigners, and the few children from the local peoples, that God will become a greater companion all day long. He is there, we are not. Pray that this connection with the Father will release more of His presence right across the AP. Pray that Christians would be praying for Gulf Muslims more and more.

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You Can't Hurry Relationship

Posted by Rob Griepentrog on August 12, 2014 at 14:33
"Many want the Spirit's power but not the Spirit's purity. The Holy Spirit does not rent out His attributes. His power is never separated from His glorious Self." - James A. Stewart, Heaven's Throne Gift

Henry and Mel Blackaby further challenge many Christians' self-focused view of the Holy Spirit.

"Why is it that countless believers seem to stand powerless before a world desperately needing what we claim to have? Why does the church have so little impact? Why are so many Christians so frustrated?

There are probably several reasons, but a major one is that Christians are seeking gifts of the Holy Spirit and not the Holy Spirit Himself. They want power but not a relationship with the One whose presence gives power. They want to do great things for God, but haven't understood that greatness in the kingdom of God comes out of a relationship with Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit. They are so enamored with self that they have no idea what is on the heart of God.

If we seek the gifts of the Spirit and not the Holy Spirit Himself, we'll always focus on self. We must learn to understand that there are no gifts apart from an intimate relationship with the Spirit.

How fully do you appreciate what this relationship means?
 

For the Christian, faith is not asking for what we don't have, but making use of what God says we already possess. It's simply trusting God's Word to be true. Nowhere else is this more profoundly true than in what is given us in God's Spirit." - Henry & Mel Blackaby, (What's so Spiritual about Your Gifts? pgs. 14-15)

Is Relationship the Root?

Our society tells us to utilize time for speed, efficiency, effectiveness, investing long hours of hard work, an attitude of "never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best," being the best-of-the-best, and more. 

Yet, did Jesus model this form of living?  What did He do?  How did He handle the gift of time He was given?

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. - Luke 5:16

Jesus withdrew from the crowds; those who sought after Him, His power, His miracles, His wisdom, truth, and understanding.  Jesus often sought times alone before the Father.  As He worshiped, thanked, praised, adored, petitioned, and listened to the Father, the Father provided Jesus with all He needed through their relationship.  Jesus knew the importance of His relationship with the Father- not only for Himself, but also for the impact His model would have on others who sought after Him and followed Him.


Might Your Quiet Time Benefit from a Revision?

Many Christians establish a "quiet time" (time set apart with God) during a part of their day or night.  For many, it's a set-aside time to study a portion of the Bible, read a short devotional, offer a few minutes of prayer, or something similar.  Will doing these things draw one closer to the heart of God?  Maybe so, maybe not.  One question I'd ask is, "Have you invited the Holy Spirit into the time/conversation?"

A.W. Tozer once shared how he made it a habit to pray to the Holy Spirit to help him every time he read something.  He did this whether he was reading Scripture, Shakespeare, a magazine, or newspaper article.  Tozer explained how the Holy Spirit would share deeper insights, God's perspective on the passage or article, specific ways to pray about what he'd read, and teachings he likely never would've gleaned if he'd simply read without asking the Holy Spirit's partnership in doing so.  This was especially the case when it came to reading the Bible!


Inviting the Holy Spirit's help and deepening presence draws us closer to the heart of God, but so does setting aside time to ask, meditate, ponder, and listen for God's impressions of our lives, decisions (past and upcoming), and more while being still before Him.

The Hurry-Up Offense

It's important to consider one's motive in a quiet time if a hurry-up attitude is present.  Relationships based on momentary meetings are shallow at best.

Some better-known Christians in the past, known for power in their preaching, serving, leading others, and more, share something in common; they spent hours alone with God.  Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, Tozer, Moody, Spurgeon, Brother Lawrence, Ravenhill, Torrey, and many others discovered the power and joy of dwelling in the presence of God.  As their personal relationships grew with God, they found themselves in no hurry to run away from God and back into the world's counterfeit joys.  Many later wrote that they'd remain in God's presence until they felt He released them to go serve Him and others.  Here we see a vastly different attitude than the common "tip of the hat" acknowledgement to God we frequently see in our Christian culture or in a 5-minute quiet time devotional pattern.

Many would emerge from their set-aside times with God to enter powerfully into appointments, meetings, speaking engagements, devotional times with their family members, ministry opportunities, public prayer meetings, and more; and they did so empowered by the Holy Spirit.

But you aren't Torrey, Tozer, Spurgeon, or Ravenhill.  You don't consider yourself a "professional Christian" taught or trained in seminary or special discipleship courses.  Neither did they.  The depths of relationship they discovered with the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit weren't given to them because of who they were or because of a particular ministry they trained or served with.  They sought God, His time, His presence, refuge in Him, and quickly discovered the benefits of tasting and seeing that He is good (Psalm 34:8).  Out of the time and depth they spent in God's presence flowed forth intimacy and a deeper relationship with God; prayer, speaking, writing, service, power, joy, godly passion for God, others, and more; unlike that of most others alive in their lifetimes. 

Those same depths, and even greater depths, are just as available to you and me as they were to those considered "greats" throughout Christian history.  But it's never about making a name for ourselves.  It's about allowing His Name to become great in and through us.

God desires a deep relationship with you and me.  But He allows us to determine the time and depth we invest in His presence.  Our day-to-day lives often reveal the depth and time, or lack thereof, we spend with Him.

So, what's the hurry?  Could we personally benefit by asking God, and His Spirit, to help us re-prioritize our schedules, time we dwell with Him, and others?  Might it be a good time to seek God to help us hit the reset button of our lives, then show us how to prioritize Him more fully into and throughout our days?  What's preventing you and me from seeking Him ahead of His gifts?

Lord, teach us to pray, and shepherd us forward into your presence as we do.  In Jesus' name, Amen.


"But the biggest misfortune for a Christian does not lie in the calamity that befalls him in this world. It is the betrayal of God for the sake of secular things on earth." - Yuan Fusheng, house church leader in Beijing, China.

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Wise Words About Prayer

Posted by Rob Griepentrog on August 5, 2014 at 14:21
R.A.Torrey was a pastor and evangelist in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  Early in his service to the Lord, he joined with D.L. Moody and soon was evangelizing around the world.  Some say that God brought over 100,000 souls to faith in Jesus through Torrey's evangelistic ministry.

Torrey longed for more Christian workers to take an active part in bringing the message of salvation through Christ to a lost and dying world.  His straightforward style of evangelism has shown thousands of Christian workers how to become effective soul winners. (R.A. Torrey on the Christian Life, pg. 984)

He shares some wise, and pertinent, advice regarding prayer in our daily lives:


“Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through! Do not just begin to pray and pray a little while and throw up your hands and quit; but pray and pray and pray until God bends the heavens and comes down.”

Before a word of petition (a prayerful request) is offered, we should have the definite and vivid consciousness that we are talking to God, and should believe that He is listening to our petition and is going to grant the things that we ask of Him. We should look to the Holy Spirit to really lead us into the presence of God and should not be hasty in words until He has actually brought us there.
The first quote points us towards Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Pray without ceasing.  It's far more than coming up with things to pray about to fill a set aside amount of time in prayer.  It's persisting in prayer (worship-based prayer, prayers of thanksgiving, requests, and more) until we recognize God's presence.  Then, once we've prayed to that point, continue further in prayer.

Torrey's second quote speaks for itself.

Our lives, our relationships with God and others, and our world, are changed as we pray; if we'll pray.

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WATCHING IN PRAYER 2

Posted by David Young on May 29, 2014 at 12:41

  Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. [1]

 

Psalm 37:4 is a particular treasure for every believer. Have you discovered wonders as you have thought about this verse this week? I would like to hear what you discovered. Last week I focused on choosing to delight. Now I want you to see that this verse calls us to delight in the Lord Himself.

DELIGHT IN THE PERSON OF THE LORD.

We ought to rejoice in His majesty. We should rejoice in His mighty power. We should rejoice in His holiness. We should rejoice in His wonderful Grace. You have sung God Is So Good, haven’t you? He is good and gracious and lovely and majestic. He is wonderful!

DELIGHT IN THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD.

Have you ever thought what a great privilege it is for God to reveal His will to you? You may say, “But I do not know God’s will for my life.” You do not know all of it. But you know something that is God’s will for you. And as you obey what He has already shown you, He will show you more.

DELIGHT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God dwells in your life. What is more, when we gather together as believers He is present in our fellowship. Can you imagine how the disciples felt when Jesus first appeared to them? They were locked in the upper room for fear of the authorities who had crucified Jesus when the Lord appeared in their midst. He is with us when we gather as believers. And the Holy Spirit dwelling in you ministers to me, and visa-versa. We celebrate together in His glorious presence!”

 

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http://daveswatch.com/


[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ps 37:4). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

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Check Your Spiritual Heart Rate

Posted by Rob Griepentrog on October 16, 2013 at 13:11

We live in a day and age where many people exercise for health, appearance, and happiness.  Many who do so wear heart rate devices to monitor the speed of their heart rate as they run or work out.  If the rate is too high or low, they change pace to bring it into a safe or more comfortable range to prevent injury or worse.

 

But how do we check our spiritual heart rates?  Has someone developed a device that will do such a thing? 

If such a device exists, would we be scared to own something that shows us the rate our spiritual heart beats for God?  What if it showed a heart beating faster for something or someone other than God?  What would we do?

God has given us at least three such devices- and the good news (or bad news; if you fear having such accountability) is that we already have them.  There's no purchase to make!

Our first spiritual heart rate monitor is the Holy Spirit.  We who've already received Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior know the Holy Spirit dwells within us (Romans 8:5-17). He resides within to help us worship God throughout each day.  He points out sin areas in our hearts that must be addressed before He will work more fully and completely within and through us (Galatians 5:16-25).  He also helps align our hearts with His heart, God the Father's, and Jesus' heart- so that we can know what to do, and how to pray, moment-by-moment throughout each day.

Our second spiritual heart rate monitor is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  God has given us His Word to help quicken our spiritual heart rates toward Him, His creation, and others (all pointing our hearts back to worshiping God for who He is).  Without reading and applying God's Word into our lives each day, we quickly can become spiritual couch potatoes; unhealthy and out of shape to serve God or others.  Spiritual couch potatoes absorb God's glory and poorly reflect it back to Him.  They struggle or fail as fruitful witnesses to others who need to come into a personal relationship with God.  They can exhibit slow, or sometimes even hard-to-notice, heart rates toward God or others.

Healthy time and prayer in God's Word (and with the empowering of the Holy Spirit) quickens the heart for the Father, increases awe in who He is, and motivates the Christian to both watch for God working around them daily, and witness as He provides opportunities to do so.

 

Our third spiritual heart rate monitor comes in the form of other Spirit-filled, Word-grounded, Christians (Hebrews 10:24-25).  These Christians exhibit healthy beating hearts and lives as they pray, serve, and train (disciple) others around them.  They aren't actors, but are living fully in the joy, power, love, grace, and truth of God and His Word.  These Christians are eager to help others freshly taste and see that He is good- in every day and every way; making disciples of Jesus out of others around themselves.  Proverbs 27:17 also sums it up well.  "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." 

Heart Check Time

Have you checked your spiritual heart rate monitors recently/today?  Are you willing to believe what they say?


What are your spiritual heart monitors saying?  Is your heart beating quickly in God's presence (worshiping, praising, and thanking Him for who He is and for specific things you see Him doing in and around you)?

Is your heart rate slow; maybe barely beating?  Does it seem like a lot of time has passed since you've dwelt in His presence; worshiping, watching, or quietly listening for His voice as you worship Him in your heart?

God desires that our hearts beat quickly and only for Him.  He is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:23-24).  Our hearts quicken as we seek Him, worship, and allow our hearts to be filled with awe and wonder of who He is (by His Word, Spirit, and the witness of other Christ-centered people).

Take some time right now to ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and assess your heart rate (Psalm 139:23-24).  If it's not where He'd (or you'd) like it to be, don't beat yourself up or become frustrated.  Instead, confess whatever needs to be confessed to God.  Realign your heart with His as He instructs, and allow Him to fill you with His joy, presence, fullness, and more that will quicken your heart rate for Him and reflect his glory outward to others as well.  As you do, others will begin to see more and more of Jesus within you!

Continue checking your spiritual heart rate throughout each day.  It's a vital way to live a healthy and Christ-honoring life moment-by-moment!

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Holy Desperation

Posted by Debbie Przybylski on September 15, 2012 at 21:51
"The key of holy desperation for the presence and ministry of Jesus is required in order for us to move out of our complacent, satisfied existence. Desperation is the underlying fuel that ignites our hearts for unity, prayer, worship, and repentance. If we aren’t longing for Jesus our ministry activities will be routine and hollow. There is certainly no shortage of ideas, plans, methods, books, teachings, programs, and activities in the church; what we are suffering from is a drought of desperation for God!” Rhonda Hughey
 
Are we desperate enough for God and His presence? This is a good question for each of us to ponder. I taste the level of commitment necessary for city transformation whenever I am involved in a 24/7 House of Prayer. I remember how I felt after finishing a non-stop, one month 24/7 House of Prayer in Spain a few years ago. It was as if we stepped into the fire of God’s presence in that location in southern Spain. Prayer lives had been challenged. The question I had to ask myself at that time was:
 
How far am I willing to go? 
How desperate am I willing to become? 
 
It was time to proceed. Many of us had stepped in this far and the levels of commitment required were going higher. God had challenged us to a new phase, a new mountain to climb for His glory. He wanted us to go deeper in holy desperation. The battle had been great, but there was no turning back.
 
There was something so exceeding real and alive to that dimension of living. 
 
There was something so necessary and dynamic to that taste of unity between the churches. Suddenly we realized that we were in this together, and we desperately needed one another to touch that region of Spain with God’s glory. I began to value and love the body of Christ in all its’ dimensions as I had never done before. I began to understand what it meant to be members of one another. We had tapped into God’s wonderful plan for Kingdom living, and I never wanted to return to the old ways. God had brought me a step further in holy desperation during that time. I felt really alive with the purposes of God! 
 
We will not see transformation in our cities and neighborhoods until our hearts move into a greater level of holy desperation for God. Rhonda Hughey in her bookDesperate for His Presence shares about purposely pursuing God. She says:
 
“The decision to make a radical lifestyle change and realign our hearts with the Lord is a matter of our will availing itself of God’s grace and reprioritizing our time and commitments. We can willingly and purposely begin to pursue God! When we do, He responds, and the more time we spend in His presence, the more desperate for Him we will become. It’s an interesting dynamic; the hungrier we are for Him, the hungrier we will become for more of Him!”
    
There are ways we can evaluate our cities and our personal lives to see if they are on their way towards transformation. We can discern if the signs of transformation are present and increasing in our city. George Otis, Jr. gives several indicators of transformation. Below are some of these indicators adapted from his study. Take time to regularly evaluate your city and your personal life, and pray through these indicators. Most of our cities have a long way to go, but desperate prayer is the key. Study and pray these verses over the area where you live. Take inventory and prayerfully answer these questions about your own life regarding holy desperation.

  • The political leaders acknowledge their sin and dependence on God - 2 Kings 11:17-18, 23:2 and Jonah 3:6-9. Do I acknowledge sin in my own life? In what areas do I need to grow in holiness? Make a list.
     
  • The economic conditions improve - 2 Chronicles 17:3-5, Psalm 144:14, Isaiah 60:5, and Amos 9:13. Am I wise in my spending, and do I give to the Lord’s work?
     
  • Kingdom values are integrated into daily life - Ezra 10:4, Nehemiah 8:10, Ecclesiastes 10:17, and Acts 19:17-20. Am I practicing Kingdom living in my own life? See the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.
     
  • Crime and corruption diminish - 2 Kings 12:13-15, Nehemiah 5:6-12, and Isaiah 60:17-18. Are there any evil practices in the way I live?
     
  • New laws are put into effect - 2 Chronicles 19:10 and Nehemiah 10:31. Am I obedient to the laws of God? Where do I need to grow in obeying God’s Word?
     
  • There is a decline in divorce, bankruptcy and suicide - Nehemiah 12:27-28, 43, Isaiah 54:11-14, 62:3, 7, Jeremiah 30:17-1, 31:11-13, and Hosea 2:15. How are my family relationships? In what ways am I seeking to help those who are struggling with marriage, hopelessness, or poverty?
     
  • The natural environment is restored - Leviticus 26:4-5, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ezekiel 34:27, and 36:29-30. How am I helping, or hindering, God’s natural environment? 
     
  • Christians take responsibility in healing and helping their community -Isaiah 58:10-12 and 61:104. In what ways am I helping my community?   
     
  • Christians take revival into other cities and nations -2 Chronicles 17:9, Isaiah 61:6, and Acts 11:20-26. What is the level of my revival passion? Am I fervent for revival in my city and nation, or am I apathetic?  
We will not begin to see this kind of transformation in our cities unless we first become desperate for God. He wants us to become so desperate for His presence so that we want it more than anything else in the world. What does desperation look like? Let me give you a good example: 
 
A young man approached the Greek philosopher Socrates and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge.” Socrates took this young man and walked him down to the sea. They waded into the water, and he dunked the young man under the water for thirty seconds. Finally he let the man up for air and asked him to repeat what he wanted. He sputtered, “Knowledge, O great one.” So Socrates dunked him under the water and held him there a little longer. He then asked the question again. After several dunkings and responses, the philosopher asked, "What do you want?” The young man gasped,“Air, I want air!” “Good,” said Socrates, “When you want knowledge as much as you want air, you shall have it.” 
 
In a similar way, God wants us to be desperate for His presence like this young man gasping for air. Many of us have faced moments of desperation in this life.
  • If you’ve just lost your job and have five children to take care of, you know what it’s like to be desperate.
  • If you are starving and are searching everywhere for a meal, you know what it’s like to be desperate.
  • If you’ve been saved out of drugs, have overcome alcohol, have lost a loved one or have lived through a terminal disease, you know what it’s like to be desperate.
  • If you remember what it’s like to be lost and searching for the answer and now know what it’s like to have found Jesus, you know what it’s like to be desperate. 

God wants us to seek Him desperately and invites us to seek Him with all of our heart. Desperation is one of the secrets to a deeper prayer life. Are you willing to respond to this invitation? The door is before you - the door of intimacy and the door to His presence. Let’s invite the King of glory to radically come into our lives and take over, asking Him to make us passionate in prayer. Are we not right at this moment in a place of desperation for the transformation of our cities and nations? How bad must things get before we become desperate?  
 
Nothing will happen without God. Let’s invite the King of glory in. Let’s say like David in Psalm 24:9-10: “Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty - he is the King of glory.” 
 
“Lord, we open the door to your invitation. Make us holy. Radically change our personal lives and reprioritize everything. We seek Your face. Make us hungry. Make us desperate for You and Your presence. Change our city. Bring revival to our nation. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
 
“To be desperate means to be without hope in your current condition and to know that in your own power you don’t have the necessary resources required to change it. People who are desperate become determined to find help, often taking great risks to meet their desperate need. In the communities where transforming revival has occurred the people of God were desperate enough to change their lifestyle and their priorities and to commit their time and resources, making everything secondary to the desperate pursuit of God in their midst. They cried out in desperation, and the Lord heard their cry.”  Rhonda Hughey

 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org
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No Presence, No Power

Posted by Arlyn Lawrence on August 6, 2010 at 13:41
I’m still reflecting on my commitment to spend more one-on-one time with the Lord. It’s one thing to talk about it (or write about it). It's another thing altogether to follow through and actually DO it.

I love Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’” I notice David didn’t say, “Sorry, God, I’m too busy doing (and praying) all this other stuff for You.” He responded immediately to God’s invitation to come into His presence. Once he was there, David prayed, “Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path” (vs. 11).


David’s strength and direction for life, obviously—like Jesus’—came directly out if His intimate
conversations with God in prayer. In fact, Jesus’ amazing, supernatural ministry was absolutely rooted in intimacy and time spent with the Father (Lk. 6:12; Jn. 8:28, 12:49-50, 14:9).


Why on earth do I think I can get away with any less? I think I’m really finally understanding (and experiencing) the bottom line—that intimacy and power are intricately and inseparably intertwined.


How many times have we all prayed for wisdom, direction, strength, or provision … first? As for myself, too many times to count. The reality is that God's favor and blessing toward His people have primarily been demonstrated first of all by His presence. And it’s His presence that results in manifestations of His power. Presence first, then power. Not the other way around. How many people (or ministries) have we all seen “go into a ditch,” as one of my friends like to put it, because they got it backwards? Again, probably too many to count. Yikes! Jesus flat-out warned us about that. When His disciples experienced some of the privileges of living in God’s power, Jesus reminded them not to rejoice in the privileges, but rather in their relationship to the One who granted them (Lk. 10:28).

Take Moses, for another example: as much as he had seen of God's incredible power, Moses knew he couldn't live without God's intimate and personal presence in his life. He asked God, “How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth” (Ex. 33:15)? I appreciate the fact that he didn’t ask for more miracles. He asked for more of God Himself! And I love God’s response to Moses. He said, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name” (Ex. 33:17).

I need more of God’s power in my life—don't you? But instead of going for the power first—instead of asking for the strength, wisdom, direction, provision, or even miracles I need first—I am learning to go for the presence first.


Amazingly, all those other things seem to come a lot more easily after that ...


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